Page 1 of Release Me Not

CHAPTER1

ETHAN

I’m standing at the end of my driveway, a light snow falling as I wait for Zoey to show up. She should’ve been here by now and the longer I stare at the empty drive waiting for her to appear, the worse the feeling of dread that’s been churning in my gut gets.

Something felt off from the minute I left Badger Creek to walk home and meet her. I was running late, but her earlier text to me had said she was running late too, so I figured we’d be good. But then just as I was about to leave, a random phone call had come through that I’d stupidly answered. Cameron wasn’t there, which wasn’t that surprising, but when I’d answered the call and it had been a journalist seeking comment on the expansion plans, it had caught me off-guard.

None of my direct contact details were on the press release so it made no sense that the call had come through to me. It should’ve gone to my PA, who would have fielded the important ones after vetoing the caller.

This was different though. Why the fuck was a journalist callingme? Why were they calling so late and more importantly, how the hell had they gotten my number?

I hadn’t spent long on the phone, just answering some basic questions before making my excuses to end the call. I needed to get going and as I’d hung up, I’d fired off a quick text back to Zoey letting her know I was on my way.

But as I stand here now waiting for her, all I can think is that something is very, very wrong.

I glance at my phone again, at the text exchange we’d shared.

Zoey: Just got to my condo, packing some clothes, will text when leaving.

Zoey: Ok I’m leaving now, see you soon!

Me: Hey, just running a few mins late, sorry babe, leaving now, see you soon.

Zoey: All good. Love you.

Me: Love you too.

“Jesus, where are you, Zoey?” I mutter as I say fuck it and hit redial on her number. The phone rings and rings until it eventually goes to voicemail. I don’t bother leaving a message, that sinking dread only getting worse as I hang up.

Walking further down my drive toward the road, I’m scanning the night around me, desperate to see her. Nothing about this feels right and as I lift my phone to my ear to call her again, the sound of another phone ringing somewhere nearby sends a sharp spike of fear right through me, my heartrate kicking up a notch even as the blood turns to ice in my veins.

I keep calling as I walk closer to the road, the sound of the ringing phone only getting louder and louder. It finally ends when my call once again goes to voicemail, and I immediately hang up and redial her number, holding my breath as I wait to hear it again.

The ringing is coming from somewhere to my right, near the turn onto my drive and I half run toward it, my heart pounding in my chest. When I see a phone lying in the ditch beside the road, the screen lighting up with my incoming call, I feel like I’m going to throw up. Beside it is Zoey’s overnight bag, the same one she brings every time she comes to stay.

I hang up my phone as I reach down to grab Zoey’s, the screen still illuminated with my three missed calls.

“Fucking hell,” I exhale, turning as I glance up and down the road, looking for any sign of her even though I know she’s not here. The road is dark and completely empty, but worse than that, her phone and bag have clearly been thrown into the ditch, like someone was trying to get rid of them.

None of this makes any sense, but what I do know is that none of this is good. It’s really fucking bad.

“Fuck!” I shout into the night, the sound disappearing into the blackness. With a hard exhale, I slide my phone into my pocket as I grab her bag and turn and run back to my house. I need to call the police. Fuck, I need to call her family, her friends, anyone who might know where the fuck she is.

It will expose our secret, but I don’t give a shit. We were telling everyone anyway and right now I don’t give a fuck about secrets or what people will think about us being together. I only care about Zoey and where she is.

When I get back to my house, I’m breathless, but I don’t stop, grabbing my keys before jumping into my car and driving down the long drive, past the lodge and over to Zoey’s condo. The snow is light but the white flakes that are falling feel like a blizzard as I navigate the streets, my grip on the steering wheel tight. I still have her phone in my hand, her overnight bag in the back seat and as I pull onto her street, her phone pings with an incoming text.

Delaney: Hey we’re back! Thank you for the cookies!! I miss you, when can we catch up?

Sucking in a deep breath, I park on the street outside her condo and make my way up the short path to her front door, pausing for a second before I lift my hand, my fist pounding on the wood. There are lights on inside the house and I can’t even begin to imagine what Alex and Delaney are going to think when they open the door.

“Ethan?” Alex says, clearly surprised and not expecting to see me here. Considering he’s wearing nothing but a pair of sweats, his hair wet, I’m guessing he’s just gotten out of the shower. “What are you doing here?”

“Is Zoey here?” I half shout, not bothering with an explanation as to why I’m standing on his front porch asking about his friend in the middle of the night.

Alex blinks as though he doesn’t understand the question, looking over his shoulder for a second before turning back to me. “Um no, she’s not, why?”

“I need to check,” I say, stepping inside, not giving a shit that he hasn’t invited me, and I haven’t explained what the hell is going on here.

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